Medicaid Cuts Could Impact Connecticut EMS Services

(TNS) — EMS providers and legislators are sending a dire warning that Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposed $8 million in cuts to Medicaid reimbursements to EMS providers in the fiscal year 2026-27 budget could result in decreases to service, leaving patients vulnerable.

Matthew Campbell, operation supervisor at Aetna Ambulance Services Inc.said a reduction in funding “might force agencies to cut staffing, scale back services or even close stations, particularly in rural and underserved communities where Medicaid enrollment is higher.”

The cuts amount to a total of $27 million when factoring in federal matching funds, officials said.

“Many EMS agencies heavily depend on Medicaid reimbursements to help cover operational expenses,” Campbell said. “If crews have to cover larger areas with diminished resources, it could lead to delays in critical care, which directly impacts patient outcomes. Funding cuts could result in understaffing and longer shifts, leading to increased burnout and turnover among paramedics. This not only affects morale but also diminishes the overall quality and consistency of patient care.”

Julia Bergman, the governor’s spokeswoman, defended the governor’s budget in an email, explaining that on July 1, 2021, ambulance rates were increased by 10% and the mileage rate was increased from $2.88 to $5.88, an increase of 104%.

Further, she said in Fiscal Year 2025, the enacted budget increased both the ambulance rates and mileage reimbursement by 20% effective on July 1st of last year.

“The governor‘s budget had to make reasonable savings to maintain a balanced budget that complied with the spending cap,” she said. “Given the need to target the state’s limited resources to those areas in greatest need, the governor’s budget returns ambulance rates to the FY 2024 levels.”

Bud Meyers, president of the Connecticut Fire Chiefs Associationand fire chief of Coventry, said in his testimony before the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 28 that while emergency providers are appreciative of the increase in ambulance rates, “it still leaves EMS providers approximately 33.5% below the national average for Medicaid reimbursement rates.

“This shortfall continues to threaten our ability to operate effectively and sustainably,” he said. “Increased Medicaid funding is essential to ensure that EMS providers can continue to deliver the life-saving services Connecticut residents rely on.”

Kim Aroh, president of Aetna Ambulance Services Inc, and Ambulance Services of Manchester, said ambulance services are obligated to always respond to every call.

“We can’t say what type of insurance do you have?” she said. “The majority of all of our calls come from those on Medicaid and Medicare. Very few towns pay a subsidy or any kind of line item on their town budget.”

Lisa Thomas, chairwoman of the Coventry Town Council, said officials in the town are concerned, adding that the Medicaid reimbursement rate is still far under 100% of the cost.

As a result, she said the town must budget and absorb the rest of the cost.

“Given the growing economic uncertainty, the tariff wars, the plummeting stock market, and President Trump’s comment that he can’t promise we won’t be in a recession, we are exceedingly concerned that we might not be able to pass a budget that fully funds our ambulance response needs,” she said in an email. ”Lives will literally be on the line.”

State Rep. Ron Napoli D-Waterbury, said this is just the beginning of the proposed budget.

“As we go through the process, safety is one of the highest priorities for the executive branch and the Waterbury delegation,” he said Friday. “Any reduction in investments to emergency services does have the potential to impact response times. We have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Sen. Saud Anwar, Senate chairman of the Public Health Committee, shared concerns about the cuts to Medicaid for EMS providers, adding that the funding must be put back in the budget.

He explained that if somebody is having an emergency, he wants them to have the best care and the first people they are going to interact with are EMS providers. He said if those providers do not have the funding to pay their workforce, then the state is “eroding the first step in the care of our patients.”

He echoed Campbell’s concerns that such cuts would shut down EMS services in parts of the state.

“And already our response times are poor in some parts of the state, especially the rural parts of the state,” he said.

Campbell said as a result of reduced funding there would be fewer staffed ambulances and extended response times.

The OEMS report found that the average response time in Connecticut was 8.75 minutes. But in rural areas response times could be as high as 20 to 25 minutes at times.

Aroh said staffing shortages would increase response times and mutual aid requests.

Aetna and the Ambulance Service of Manchester respond to over 100,000 requests for service in the Hartford and the Tolland County region.

Cities like Hartford, New Haven, and Bridgeport receive upwards of 40 to 50% of its medical reimbursements from Medicaid.

Campbell also cited concerns about the increasing costs of equipment, further exasperating the situation.

“When you combine the costs of personnel, equipment, insurance, and vehicles, a single cardiac arrest response can realistically cost anywhere between $2,200 and $3,200 — potentially higher if multiple units are required, advanced airway management is needed, or if the call extends beyond the standard duration or if the patient requires more life saving interventions,” he said.

“You can’t buy a cheap monitor or cheap set of defibrillator pads,” Campbell added.

Chief Kyle Kelley, of Naugatuck Ambulance, said if the cuts are implemented, it amounts to literally dollars out of the EMS’ providers pockets.

“That is an employee not getting a raise or not being able to buy a piece of equipment,” he said, adding that across the country EMS are among the lowest paid professions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that limited EMS resources “contribute to service related challenges throughout the nation” and that recruitment of EMTs can be difficult because of low salaries with the national average at $34,320.

Kelley said in Naugatuck 26% of its medical reimbursements come from Medicaid.

Bill Schietinger, regional director for American Medical Responseand chairman of the EMS Advisory Board could not be reached for comment.

Chief Patrick Ciardullo of New Britain Emergency Medical Services, said almost 50% of its medical reimbursements come from Medicaid, and that if these cuts go through he would have to take some ambulances off the road.

There are four ambulances that run 17 hours a day, three ambulances that run 24/7 and a fly car run by a supervisor, he said.

In New Britain, EMS responds to about 18,000 calls a year, Ciardullo said.

He added that New Britain relies on mutual aid from other towns and if those services drop it would increase the time to get to people in need.

“Imagine calling 911 experiencing the worst moment of your life and an ambulance not showing up for 30 minutes and maybe not at all,” he said.

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